Department of Public Health Sciences
Division of Social Medicine

Issue 41

Safe Community Monthly News

December 2010

In this issue
SafeCommunityredesignationsNewsfromChile,Taiwan,China
NewSafeCommunitydesignation
NewsfromNewZealandCall:SafeHospitalNetwork
ForthcomingConferences

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DearColleagues,Wishyouahappyfestiveseason&NewSafeYear.
WeareproudtointroduceyouanothernewSafeCommunityfromNZ.
WehavereportsfromCanada,China,NZ,Sweden&Taiwan.
Newsandreportsofthisissueareappendedbelow.Sameissueisalsoavail
ableatourWHOCollaboratingCentreonCommunitySafetyPromotionweb
site:http://www.phs.ki.se/csp/who_newsletters_en.htm
Withwarmregards
LeifSvanström,ResponsibleEditor
KoustuvDalal,Editor

Brockville Leeds & Grenville Re-designation
OnThursdayAugust26,2010thecommunityofBrockville,Ontario,homeoftheThousandIslandsandLeedsand
Grenville,wasredesignatedasanInternationalSafeCommunity.SafeCommunitiesCanada,asaCertifyingCen
trefortheWorldHealthOrganizationCollaboratingCentreonCommunitySafetyPromotion,oversawthereviewprocessandformallyredesignatedBrockvilleasapartoftheopeningceremoniesoftheCanadaSeniors’Games(55+).Thesegames,whichincludedseniorathletesfromallofCanada’sprovincesandimportantmunicipal,pro
vincialandfederalpoliticians,gaveusawonderfulopportunitytoshowcasebothourSafeCommunityandthe
movementtosomeveryimportantpotentialstakeholdersacrossthecountry.
BrockvillebecametheveryfirstCanadianSafeCommunityin1996.In2001,itreceiveditsseconddesignationas
anInternationalSafeCommunity.UndertheleadershipofChiefBarryKing,BrockvillehasplayedanimportantroleintheSafeCommunitiesmovementbothinCanadaandinternationally.
Redesignationmeansrenewalandwearepleasedtore
portthatourSafeCommunityreneweditsleadershipby
appointingtwodynamicnewleaderswhooversawtheredesignationprocess.BothInspectorScottFraserandDavidDargie,ournewcochairs,havecommittedtocon
tinueBrockville’spositionofleadershipinthemovement
bothhereinCanadaandaroundtheworld.
Reporter:MitchellSalmon,Canada.

Inphoto:PaulKells,PresidentofSafecommunitiesCanada,pre
sentstheredesignationplaqueto(fromtheleft)DaveDargie,co
chairSafecommunitiesBrockvilleLeadsandGrenville,David
Henderson,MayorofBrockville,andInspectorScottFraser,Co
ChairSafecommunitiesBrockvilleLeedsandGrenville<— Report from Paneãflor, Chile
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Walking hand in hand to guard the future for children!
On20thOctober,2010,DongshihSafeCommunityPromotionCenterorganizedatownwideparadeforpromotingschoolchildren’ssafetyinDongshih.Forattractingmoreattentionofcommunityresidents,wealsoinvitedChilddivin
ity(theculturaliconofTaiwan,thethirdprince,Nezha)toleadtheparadeandshowthesymbolofbighandinsmall
hand.
SchoolSafetyPromotioncommitteeofDongshihCenterforSafetyPromotioninitiatedtheȾSafeRoutestoSchoolprogram”andpartneredwith10elementaryandtwojuniorhighschools,townshipofficeandNGOgroupstopromotethe
program.Forreducingthemotorvehicleinjuryandpromotingchildrenandadolescents’safety,weplannedtocollecttheopinionsaboutpotentialthreatsthroughcommunityresidentseyes.Fourstructuredquestionnairesurveyswerecarriedoutbyschool(teachers),schoolchildren(from1stgradeto6thgrade),parentsandfourtofiveperipheralshops
aroundeachschoolinDongshihSafeCommunity.Theresultsshowedthatabout80%ofparentsandshopownerscon
sidereditissafeforchildrentowalktoschoolandwalkbackhomefromschool,andtheyarealsowillingtoencouragechildrentowalktoschool,butthetruthisonlyabout30%ofchildrendidso.Therefore,forcreatingarealsafeandsus
tainableenvironmentforeveryonecanonlycountonthecontinuouseffortoninjurypreventionandsafetypromotion. 
Mrs.YuChinYe,Townshipmayor;Mr.ShingShuHuang,ExecutiveDirectorofDongshihSafeCommunity “Smallhandinbighand,SafeWalkalwaysbe”
PromotionCenter;schoolprincipals(Mr.ChinSenWu,ShyYannJou,WenChengChan,ZhangYiWuand 
QiuHongShen);countycounselor,reporters;anofficialofEducationBureauofTaichungcountygovernReporter:Chang,LingLing,Taiwanmentandpressattendedthepressconferenceon20thOctober2010.

Wanganui District, New Zealand: ISC Designation #222
TheWanganuiDistricthasapopulationof43,600andissituatedonthewestcoastofNewZealand’sNorthIslandatthe
mouthoftheWhanganuiRiver.On9thAugust2010,membersoftheSaferWanganuiSteeringCommitteeandwidercommunitywelcomedandhostedfiveISCreviewersandsixobserversfromNewPlymouth,Porirua,Police,ACCand
Ministry of Social Development. The site visit assessors and observers were welcomed to Whanganui with a PowhirianddinneratPutikiMarae.Thiswasfollowedonthe10thAugust,withpresentationsandfieldtripsthatallprovided
meaningfulinsightsintohowtheWanganuiDistricthadeffectivelyadoptedtheWHOSafeCommunitymodeltoim
provecommunitysafetyatalocallevel.
SaferWanganui’svisionis:“asafeWanganuiwhereeveryonefeelssafetobe
inandmovearoundthecommunityallthetime”.IntheSaferWanganuiISC
application, safety means freedom from physical, social, spiritual, emotional,
psychological,sexualandenvironmentalharm,includinganawarenessofpo
tentialharm.SaferWanganuihasadoptedaWhariki,whichisaninnovativemodelencompassingthelifespanwiththeactivesupportfrom11keyagenciesandfocusedonimprovingsafetyacrosssixkeyareas.
FollowingreviewoftheWanganuiDistrictISCapplicationandthesuccessful
conductofthesitevisit,anISCdesignationceremonywasheldinWanganui
WanganuiSafeCommunitySteeringonFriday19thNovember2010.WanganuiMayor,AnnetteMain,thenewlyCommittee,withtheSiteVisitTeamelected Chair of Safer Wanganui, stated: “By working together, through Safer
Wanganui, we maximise the impact of the work of all of our diverse agencies andgroups,tomakeasignificantandsustainableimprovement.”
FurtherinformationcanbefoundbyvisitingtheSafe
CommunitiesFoundationNZwebsite
http://www.safecommunities.org.nz/sc/wag

Reporter:TaniaPeters,NewZealand.


LaurenTamehana(DHB)andMayorAnnette

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PowhiriatPutikiMarae

Review Meeting of Haitong Safeguarding School Mode, Huamu CommunityInordertocontinuouslypromotetheChildren’sSafeWalkingProjectinHuamuSafeCommunity,thepromotioncom
mitteeenergeticallyexploreSafeguardingSchoolmodeinandoutschool.TheytookHaitongprimaryschoolaspilot
unit.
Areviewmeetingof“HaitongSafeguardingSchoolmode”washeld
includingtheleadingstakeholders:MunicipalPublicSecurityBureau,
MunicipalCentreforDiseaseControlandPrevention,DistrictPublic
SecurityBureau,EducationBureau,TrafficPoliceBrigade,thethird
EducationDepartment,aswellasschoolsandinstitutionsrelated.All
thestaffofpromotioncommitteeattendedthemeeting.Mr.Jiang
Weizhong,DeputyDirectorofHuamuSubdistrict,presidedoverthe
meeting.TheyhaveputattentionandjointeffortsfromallCross
Sectionalorganizations,andstrivedtoguaranteesafetyofchildren
wholiveinHuamuCommunity.
Reporter:ChenFang,China.

Taking a stand against violence to women
NZPolice,theFireService,StJohnandtheChristchurchCityCouncil(SaferChristchurch)madeastandagainst
violencetowardswomenataWhiteRibbonDayBreakfastbarbecueheldinCathedralSquareonThursday25No
vember.WhiteRibbonisaglobalcampaignledbymenwhocondemnviolenceagainstwomen.
MayorBobParkersays“Violenceagainstanyoneisunacceptable.Vio
lenceagainstwomenisfartoocommoninoursociety.Thisdayisin
tendedtoraiseourawarenessoftheproblem.’’
JoiningtheMayorwasCrusaders’CoachToddBlackadder,Canterbury
Rugby’sStephenBrett,TuUmagaMarshall,WilliHeinzandCoastto
CoastRaceDirectorRobinJudkins,DeanPeterBeck,CityCouncillors
WhiteRibbonDaypublicBBQsetupinfrontoftheChristchurchSallyBuck,GlennLivingstone,JimmyChenandChrissieWilliams,
PoliceandFireAreaCommanders,andothermembersoftheSaferChristchurch
InteragencyGroup,allcommittedtoreducingviolenceandpromotingasafer
community.
ThepublicwereinvitedtoCathedralSquareforsausages,hotchocolateandfla
vouredmilk(generouslydonatedbyHeller’s,StarbucksandMeadowFreshre
spectively),tomeetthosetakingpart,andtogetaWhiteRibbontowear.Attheendofthedayover600sausageswerecookedandover1400whiteribbonswerehandedoutwiththemessagethatdomesticviolencewasnotO.K.
“TheSaferChristchurchStrategywasdevelopedin2005withtheaimofmaking
Christchurchasaferplacetolive,workandplay,andsetsthestrategyforthe
SaferChristchurchInteragencyGroup,”saysGlennDobson,ChristchurchCity
Council’sSaferChristchurchManager.
TheStrategyrecognisesthecontributionbycommunityorganisationsandgov
ernmentagencieswhichcontributetocommunitysafetyinChristchurch.”
“Sofarwehavebeenverysuccessful,guidingChristchurchtoachievingaccreditationin2008asanInternationalSafeCommunitybasedoncriteriade CrusadersCoachToddBlackaddersharestheWhiteRib
bonmessagewithLynettePricefromtheChristchurchCityvelopedbytheWorldHealthOrganisation(WHO).Today’seventhas
beenagreatcollaborationbetweenbothGovernmentorganisationsand
NGO’stospreadthemessageandshowourcombinedsupporttostoppingdomesticviolence.Itishopedthateachyearwecanbuildabiggerandstrongermessageforthepubliconthisdate.”
Reporter:TaniaPeters,NewZealand.
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Taking the Challenge – a competitive approach to promoting young workers’
safety in Taranaki.
Youngworkersareoverrepresentedinworkplaceinjurystatisticsacrosstheworld,withmalesparticularlyatrisk.Most
schoolagedworkersareexposedtothesamerangeofhazardsthatfulltimeemployeesfacebutresearchshowsthat
manyofthemarenotawareoftheirworkplacesafetyrightsorhavenotreceivedadequatetrainingforthetasksthat
theyarerequiredtoundertake.
ThesefindingswerereflectedinresearchundertakeninTaranaki(NewZealand)in2007.Asurveyof3,200secondary
schoolstudentsfoundthat42%ofthemwereemployedinparttimework,mainlyintheretail,foodserviceandagricul
turalsector.Halfofthoseemployeddidnothaveawrittenemploymentcontract.Lessthanhalfrecalledbeinginformed
oftheirsafetyrightsandresponsibilities,andaquarterofthemcouldnotrecallbeinggivenanyhealthandsafetyinfor
mationatall.20%ofthestudentshadsufferedaworkplaceinjuryinthelastyearandanoverwhelming93%blamed
themselvesfortheaccident.Worryingly,20%hadbeenaskedtodosomethingtheyconsideredunsafeand88%wentaheadanddiditanyway,citingtheirtrustoftheirsupervisorasthemainreasonfordoingso.
Sincethisresearch,improvingthesafetyknowledgeofyoungworkershasbeenapriorityissueforNewPlymouthinjurySafeTrust,basedinTaranaki.(TheTrustcoordinatedtheapplicationforaccreditationofNewPlymouthDistrictasanInternationalSafeCommunityin2005).Anumberofinitiativeshavetakenplaceinthedistrict,includinganinnova
tive‘safetychallenge’aimedatyoungworkersemployedwithintheconstructionindustry.
In2009,NewPlymouthinjurySafeworkedwiththeTaranakiConstructionSafetyGroup,acoalitionoflocalemployersandsafetygroups,todevelopapracticalandfunteambasedcompetitionknownastheTradesApprenticeSafetyChal
lenge.Thehandsoncompetitionisaimedatconstructionapprenticesaged1825yearsandteststheirknowledgeina
rangeofsafetychallengesincludingworkingatheights,manualhandling,firesafety,firstaidandroadsafety.Appren
ticesworkinteamsoffourandaremarkedontheirsafetyknowledge,skillsandteamwork.Attheendofeachactivitytheteamsaregivenfeedbacktoinformtheirfuturelearning.
Thecompetitionisnowintoitssecondyear,andbecomingmorecompetitiveasthecompanybasedteamsstrivetowin
theSafetyChallengeTrophy!FeedbackfromemployershashighlightedthattheChallengeisvaluedasameaningfulandeffectivelearningtool.Apprenticesareforcedtothinkontheirfeetandapproachtasksfromasafetyperspective.
Eachactivityisonly20minutesandtheelementofcompetitionbringsasenseofurgencyandfuntotheevent.
Fromanapprenticeperspectivethelearningfromthedaydoesappeartobesinkingin.Oneteamthatparticipatedina
firstaidactivityscenarioatlastyears’Challengefoundthemselvesdealingwithaseriousincidentafteracolleaguesuf
feredafallonabuildingsitejustacoupleofmonthslater.Theteamrangforanambulanceandprovidedinitialfirst
aid,commentingthatwhattheyhadlearntattheChallengeequippedthemtorespondtothatincidentconfidently.Anotherteamthatscoredpoorlyinfirstaidlastyearwentontocompletefirstaidtrainingandcamebacktothisyears’
eventandwonthefirstaidsectionofthecompetition!OthersuccessstoriesoftheeventincludelocalworkplacestakinguparangeoftrainingopportunitiesprovidedbyactivityleaderswhoruntheChallengeactivities.
TheTradesApprenticeChallengeisbasedonalocalinitiativethatwasoriginallydeveloped
foragriculturalstudentsandNewPlymouthinjurySafehasbuiltonthesuccessofthisprojectbytailoringsimi
larcompetitionsforGateway(trades)studentsatsecondaryschoolandHealth&Safetyrepresentativesinlocalwork
places.OtherregionsofNewZealandhavepickeduptheconceptandarerunningsimilareventswithintheirownar
eas.TheTradesApprenticeChallengewillnowfeatureinaDVDpresentationattheWorldSafetyConferenceinLon
doninSeptember2010.PerhapsitistimefortheTradesApprenticeChallengetogoglobal?
MoreinformationabouttheTradesApprenticeChallengeandotherlocalactivitiestoimproveyoungworkerssafetyis
availablebycontactingChannaPerry,SafeCommunityProgrammeManager,atnpis@tdhb.org.nzor
visitingwww.safetaranaki.org.nz/workplace/projects.

Picturedabove:FirstAid,ManualHandling,WorkingatHeightandSiteSafety.
4Call for International Safe Hospitals Network
Hospitalscanplayavitalroleforinjurypreventionandsafetypromotion.Hospitalsshouldbeactivelyinvolvedin
theSafeCommunityprogram.Therefore,WHOCCCSPhasdevelopedanew‘SafeCommunityHospitalNetwork’
andcallingformemberships.Formembershipandtechnicalsupportspleasecontact:Prof.LeifSvanstrom(leif.svanstrom@ki.se)orDr.KoustuvDalal(koustuv.dalal@liu.se).
Visit:http://www.phs.ki.se/csp/pdf/indicator/safe_hospitals_criteria.pdf
Youth Park Safe Community

Thereweremanyuncoveredmanholein
YouthParkwhichhadcausedseveral
injuriesanddeaths.Thecoversweredamaged,orlost.WiththeSafeCommu
nitymovement,theauthorityhasinves
tigated,inspectedandproducedcovers
ofthoseuncoveredmanholeinanurgentbasis.Nowadepartmentisregularly
monitoringtheprotectionofthecitizens
againstmanholeaccidents.

Forthcoming Safety and Injury Conferences2011
**20thInternationalSafeCommunitiesConference
CelebratingtwodecadesofInternationalSafeCommunityDevelopmentgoingbacktowhereitallstarted69September2011,FalunMunicipality,Dalarna,Sweden
Conferencewebpage:www.falun.se/safecom2011.Contact:safecom2011@falun.se**The1stLatinAmericanRegionalSafeCommunityConference“WhatcanSafecommunitiesdoforDisasterPreventionandRiskManagement”
68April2011,Peñaflor,Chile
Contact:KarenGalviskarengalvis@gmail.com.
Invitation:http://www.phs.ki.se/csp/pdf/Conferences/invitation_68_april_2011_penaflor_chile.pdf
**WorldConferenceonDrowningPrevention,1013May2011,Vietnam.Forfurtherinformationvisithttp://www.worldconferenceondrowningprevention.org/ 

2012
RegionalSafeCommunityConferencesx 6thAsianRegionalConferenceonSafeCommunitiesin2012Friday,11Sunday,13,May,2012,Tokyo,Japan.
x

The3rdEuropeanSafeCommunityConference
ThefutureroleoftheFireandRescueServiceinthesustainabilityofSafeCommunitiesinEurope45June2012,Falköping,Sweden
Contact:annette.holmberg@falkoping.seWHOCollaboratingCentreforCommunitySafetyPromotion
KarolinskaInstitutet
DepartmentofPublicHealthSciences
DivisionofSocialMedicine
Norrbacka2ndFloor,SE17176,Stockholm,Sweden.
Communication:KoustuvDalal,PhD.Editor(Email:koustuv.dalal@liu.se)5